Plenty of 'Nutcracker' performances to be seen

Friday

Dec 7, 2012 at 2:00 AM

A child's eyes light up at the bright colors, the bold music and beautiful turns, and of course, the pas de deux. "The Nutcracker" remains a highlight of the holiday season, a chance for local dance organizations to shine their lights on brilliant young talents, whose light and sweeping grace might produce more than a few twinkles of happiness.

Timothy Malcolm

A child's eyes light up at the bright colors, the bold music and beautiful turns, and of course, the pas de deux. "The Nutcracker" remains a highlight of the holiday season, a chance for local dance organizations to shine their lights on brilliant young talents, whose light and sweeping grace might produce more than a few twinkles of happiness.

As with every year, you have quite a selection of "Nutcracker" performances from which to choose. There are classic versions, slight variations and wild interpretations. Each has a character all its own, so we found out a bit more about them.

There's an added benefit for children participating in Lisa Naumann's production of "The Nutcracker." They get to work with professionals from New York City.

"It brings them up," said Naumann, co-founder of the New Paltz School of Ballet and choreographer of its production run at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House. "What a special thing it is."

It's special for the children who learn quickly how to act socially and professionally in rehearsal and performance, and who get to see the stars — in this case Teresa Reichlen and Ask la Cour of the New York City Ballet — put on a show as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier for a fraction of the city cost.

"We always try to incorporate really good dancers into the studio because ballet is visual," Naumann said. "You can talk and talk and talk about what it's supposed to look like, but they need to see what it's supposed to look like with their eyes."

Elizabeth Pullman and Alanna Trees will play Maria (Clara) in the New Paltz version, chosen after an audition period.

When Kim Garmire's daughter sees the Catskill Ballet Theatre's "Nutcracker" on the marquee of the Ulster Performing Arts Center, that means Christmas has arrived. This year the group is ringing the arrival of Christmas for the 30th year.

This 30-year anniversary production of "The Nutcracker" also marks an anniversary for the man playing Herr Drosselmeyer. Vladimir Bachinsky played the councilor 30 years ago, and each year he's returned for the gig. He'll also be celebrating 30 years performing this role.

"He's just that good," said Garmire, president of the board of directors of Catskill Ballet Theatre.

Professional dancers Jennifer Maria Safonovs and Grant Dettling will perform as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince, respectively. Former Catskill Ballet Theatre dancers will attend some of the performances to join in the celebration. The true joy, however, Garmire said, is watching the young girls in their Christmas dresses gaze in awe at the dancing onstage. That tells you the arts are healthy.

"Kingston's not what it used to be as far as the arts," she said. "Our audiences the last two years have been really good, so you can see the arts are coming back in the area."

With a resume that includes the Kazan School of Choreography, the Tatar State Opera & Ballet and the Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Festival, Russian-born dancer and teacher Albert Davydov surely knows his "Nutcracker."

"I know exactly how it's supposed to be," said Davydov. "The choreography, the way of dancing."

Davydov directs American Youth Ballet of Highland Mills, which will produce its "Nutcracker" Monday evening at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center.

"I'm trying to bring my school level close to a professional level," said Davydov. "They do as much as possible. They try hard and they're doing good now. Every year they're better and better."

His students will perform alongside members of the New Jersey Ballet Company, of which Davydov is a member.

"I did 'Nutcracker' as a child and I really wanted to do it here," she said. "They (her parents Samuel and Amanda) didn't have a problem with it but said, 'Ours would have to be a little bit different.'"

So Clara doesn't visit the Land of Sweets ... she visits the circus. There's also more acting involved, since the Conservatory has always been interested in rounding out children's creative talents.

"We want to create triple threats," Wright said. "Because our show is more of an alternative, it requires a whole lot more acting and theatrics."

Those theatrics — happening at the New Rose Theatre — include aerial dancing. The Conservatory has added an aerial silk element to the show this year, and while Wright is nervous about implementing this new wrinkle, she thinks the audience will enjoy it.

"It's a 'Nutcracker' that anyone can enjoy," she added. "It's not your typical 'Nutcracker.'"

Do you want to show your children "The Nutcracker" but are afraid he or she might become restless over the course of a couple of hours? The Dance Design School has the answer: "The Nutcracker Short & Sweet."

The Dance Design School developed this shortened version, which takes out overlong party scenes and the pas de deux, among other parts, and keeps the second act in the Land of Sweets. Aggie Kimple, director of the Dance Design School, said it's beneficial for children who might grow tired during the performance.

"I feel like if you're catering to young kids, we took out the stuff that can drag for young kids," Kimple said. "It's hard to take your kids into the city to see a full two-and-a-half-hour 'Nutcracker.' They probably won't make it through the whole thing."

The all-community production features 9-year-old Katie Rolon in the role of Clara. The show also has narration from a local student.

See those dancers doing "The Nutcracker" around the Hudson Valley and Catskills? A large portion of them have been influenced by the dean of dance, Marya Kennett.

"She's 91 and she's still doing 'The Nutcracker,' and she's still here for rehearsal, still here for the choreography," said daughter Jocelyn Kennett. "She's still right with it. That's amazing."

The Kennett Dance Centre has been producing "The Nutcracker" for approximately 25 years (this year at the Paramount Theatre); people who performed as children in early renditions of the ballet are now seeing their children take the stage. The cyclical effect is one of the charms of the Kennett brand.

"It's a tribute to the number of years of teaching and dedicating her life to this," Jocelyn Kennett said.

The production is tweaked each year but remains thoughtfully classic. The school is adding a prelude this year, however: A Christmas splash featuring younger students and those who didn't audition.